With Lahm employed in midfield by Pep Guardiola, Rafinha enjoyed a solid run on the right side of the back four. Carlo Ancelotti preferred to use Lahm in defence, limiting Rafinha to just ten Bundesliga starts last term.

With Joshua Kimmich, his most likely rival for the position, still on holiday after featuring for Germany in the FIFA Confederations Cup, Rafinha, 32, has his sights set on claiming the berth for his own.

“I try to do my work. I played with Philipp Lahm for six years and even so I have played 200 games for Bayern Munich,” said the former Schalke man, who has made 136 top-flight appearances for the Reds and started Wednesday’s Bundesliga World Tour friendly against Arsenal.

“I hope that I will get more games this season. I have the quality to do that.”